Japan to boost maritime defense

Posted On
Friday, 23 November 2012 18:10

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Naval
Forces News - Japan

Japan
to boost maritime defense

Japan’s
opposition Liberal Democratic Party, tipped to win next month’s
general election, has promised to boost spending on maritime defence
and ease restraints on the military imposed by its pacifist constitution.

The President
of Japan’s main opposition Liberal Democratic Party, Shinzo Abe,
has announced the party’s campaign promises for the upcoming general
election on December 16th.

These include plans for economic recovery, a nuclear energy strategy
and national self-defence.

Abe has said a plan to establish a permanent presence to guard the disputed
Diaoyu Islands is under discussion, and policies to regulate fishing
around the islands would be drawn up.

He’s also said he wants to change the status of the country’s
current Self-Defense Forces to a national defence force, to address
a shifting security environment in the Asia Pacific region, which would
involve increased maritime defence spending.

Analysts say this is the first move by Japan, since its constitution
was enacted in 1947, to claim the right of collective self-defense.

The pinciple of collective self-defence allows allied countries to defend
each other by means of military intervention if one comes under military
attack.

Observers say such a move may further strain diplomatic ties with Japan’s
neighbors, including China and South Korea, with whom Japan is currently
involved in territorial disputes.